SOS: Save Our Starfire!
by jacksparrow589
Summary: When Starfire falls victim to an ancient experiment gone horribly awry, the Titans must rely on their own skills and powers and those of three members of the past to save not only Starfire, but all of civilization from a deadly plague.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. The idea for this story was conceived by a friend (Will, if you care to look at my profile) who requested my help, so we're writing it together. Our own characters (more Will's than mine) are Sinai, Azano, and Drage. You should ask us if you want to use them.

**Prologue: 1000 Years Ago...**

"Sinai, be careful with that!"

"I'm sorry, Azano. I thought I heard something outside."

"We must keep working. The King doesn't know what he has started and if we do not combat it, who _knows _what might happen?"

Azano turns back to the test tube he is fiddling with. Sinai brushes her purple hair back and concentrates on the sycamore seedling. It sprouts and blooms far more quickly than a normal plant. Suddenly, the door to Azano's hut is broken down and the King's soldiers enter. Azano and Sinai jump to their feet.

"Azano Midelzawi, you are under arrest for high treason of the crown."

Sinai moves protectively in front of Azano. "No! You _can't_ take him! You don't understand!"

Azano grabs her by the shoulders and spins her to face him. In a low whisper, he tells her, "No, Sinai. It will be fine. There is nothing to be gained by causing a scuffle."

"But they'll kill you!" protests Sinai as Azano pushes her away and allows the guards to come near.

"This way, you can continue the work we have started. Stay free!"

The guards lead Azano away. Sinai makes for the door, but more guards block her path.

"No! Azano!" Sinai cries as she falls to her knees, sobbing. "I don't see how I can... without _you_."

**A/N: While it makes no sense whatsoever to do so, we decided to tell the flashbacks in the present tense and the story in the past tense. If you don't like it, don't read it. It's just that simple. If you don't like hinted romance, don't read. And if you don't like Teen Titans... you're in the wrong place.**

**Also, we're still editing. Give us a little bit of time. We never get together anymore!**


	2. Chapter 1: Starfire's Point of View

**Chapter 1: Starfire's Point of View**

It was a rainy day at Titans Tower. All five of the Titans, including myself, had located ourselves in the - what does Robin call it again? Ah, yes - Living Room. Friends Beast Boy and Cyborg were arguing about yet another videogame. Robin had been teaching me more about the English language, but I had found a greater interest in Raven's book.

"Friend Raven," I began, feeling very concerned. "Why do you look so troubled? Surely your book does not frighten you in any-"

Raven did not let me finish my sentence in her haste to explain. "No, Starfire, the book doesn't scare me. Remember: I don't _do_ fear. It's just that this book has so many similarities to us that it had me startled. That's all." She returned to her book while I proceeded with my lesson, but I could not help hearing her mutter, "This was written so long ago. It just _can't_ be..."

Curious though I was, I knew better than to inquire as to what could not be. A voice startled me out of my thoughts. "Star, what's wrong?"

Only one person called me "Star" with great regularity: Robin, the leader of the Teen Titans.

Trying to place a convincing smile upon my face, I replied, "Everything is just fine."

Robin did not look as convinced as I had hoped, but seemed to accept my response. "Okay... Well, anytime you need to talk, we're all here for you, like family."

I nodded, although I wondered how we could be family since none of use were related or even married to each other. I was almost certainly the only Titan with a full, supportive (in most cases) family. Guilt began to flow over me, and tears threatened to fall. I rose from my seat. "I will be... in my room," I choked.

Before any protest could be expressed, I glided off. One of the controllers for Beast Boy's videogames flew past my head as another argument broke out. I entered my room to a warm greeting from Silky.

* * *

After a few minutes of this welcome, a powerful force accompanied by a girl's scream, knocked me to the floor. After seeing black for a few seconds, I hurried out to the Room of Living to find friends Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Robin stuck mysteriously to the wall.

Friend Raven was hovering above the last piece of furniture intact: the couch. Her book levitated above her fingertips and she stared unseeingly, eyes as wide as _schlampusglintz_ balls.

In a voice almost too quiet to hear, she whispered, "No. It _can't _be."

"Friend Raven," I began to inquire, "what cannot b-" I, too, was silenced as a sudden surge of Raven's energy pinned me the door through which I had entered. She was breathing so heavily that I wondered whether or not she would pass into "the faint". Eventually, the pressure subsided and my friends and I slid to the floor as Raven's breathing normalized.

Beast Boy ventured to ask, "Rae, what's wrong?" Raven did not respond. Beast Boy chuckled nervously. "She would normally kill me for that. Maybe she's come to love it." The field around Raven disappeared, and she fell, the book tightly clutched in her hands. "Or not." He hurried to catch up with Robin and Cyborg, who were attempting to catch our falling friend. He turned into a cheetah and came up under Raven just in time. "Uh, when was the last time Raven fainted like that?"

"No idea," Cyborg replied. "Well, there was that one time we went into her head and... well, this is actually happening more and more often."

"But under what circumstances?" I cried.

Beast Boy thought for a moment. "I think it's because she's under a lot of emotional stress. She's used to keeping it all in check. When she lets it go, it probably takes a ton of energy to pull back in."

Beast Boy's explanation made sense. Raven's powers certainly had much to do with emotions.

Cyborg's voice cut through everyone's thoughts. "Uh, BB? I think she's waking up."

**A/N: Shlampusglintz. No idea whatsoever as to where that one came from. None at all. And this doesn't necessarily have to be pretty early on in Starfire's involvement in the Titans, as even though she knows English, she still gets cliché confusion. And yes, this is kind of canon to the show. Well, there'll be references, I think.**


	3. Chapter 2: Raven's Point of View

**Chapter 2: Raven's Point of View**

"Friend Raven, are you feeling well?" Starfire's nervous voice broke through the fog in my mind to bring me back to reality.

"Of course I am," I replied. "Or I will be once Beast Boy lets me go." I would've mentioned something about how he was too warm, but that would just be taken in a way that I didn't want it to be taken.

Beast Boy set me down, and I could swear I saw him blush. I would have smiled, but that probably would have provoked an unwanted reaction, too.

Any smile I would have had would have been wiped clean by the decimated state of the living room. In the same way that electrical surges cause fires, my powers cause utter destruction.

"We were surprised at the high amount of damage, too," Robin assured me, having read my expression.

I shook my head. "I'm surprised at how _little_ damage I did. Believe me when I tell you that same amount of power, if released in the correct way, could _level_ a small town."

Beast Boy whistled. "Well, when you put it _that_ way…" he trailed off.

"We are… incredibly fortunate?" suggested a timid Starfire. I gave her an "unfortunately, yes" look and she shivered visibly.

"I'll put what I can back the way it was," I promised, "but I have no idea what's whole and what's not, and I won't make any guarantees."

Cyborg and Beast Boy enthusiastically declared their "undying love" for me when I was able to mend the small crack in the otherwise undamaged television. However, their game system was smashed, but they seemed not to care. If they did, expressing it would have earned them not only a television beyond repair, but likely one beyond recognition.

Suddenly, the alarm sounded. "Titans! Go!" Robin called, and we went.

The alarm was for a cliff near a wooded area, and a rather unfamiliar one at that.

As usual, Slade's drones were up to trouble, this time fatally harassing hikers. In such a situation, it was our duty to act. They were easy enough at first, but more and more reinforcements began to show up. Pretty soon, we were outnumbered and unable to retreat, leaving us with only two choices: fight or be killed.

We chose fight.

Eventually, we bought ourselves enough time to escape. Starfire and I flew, with Starfire carrying Robin. Beast Boy (in the form of a pterodactyl) carried Cyborg.

I tried to protect everyone with my magic, but I was running out of energy, and _fast._ I did not want to, but I let my shield down. I had not given any warning, so Starfire looked confused. In that instant, a shot grazed her arm diagonally. She shrieked and dropped Robin, and they both plummeted towards the ground below. Cyborg managed to catch Robin.

"Starfire!" Robin cried after her. We tried to follow after her, but lost sight of her while looking for a place to land. Finding one more quickly and recklessly than normal, Cyborg calculated the general direction for us.

An hour passed with no luck. Suddenly, I spotted the worst possible sign: Starfire's blood was splattered on a leaf. "No," I gasped, pointing at it.

Robin grabbed the leaf and crushed it, screaming for the world to hear, "**_STARFIRE!_**"

The guilt began to kick into overdrive. _I_ had let my shield down. _I _should be lost, not Starfire. I knew what I had started, but how was I going to finish it?

**A/N: Kya! Slight BBxRaven! Yay! And double yay- Robin doing the cliché "STARFIRE!" scream! Actually, the whole thing up 'til now is pretty damn cliché, if I do say so myself. Next chapter, our first OC is introduced! Well, reintroduced, as Will pointed out. The chapter is in their point of view, so don't get confused!**

**And 'fatal harassment'. No idea how that one works. None at all.**


	4. Chapter 3: Sinai's Point of View

**Chapter 3: Sinai's Point of View**

It was another boring day, much like yesterday and all the days before that in all the near millennium that had passed since that fateful day. That is, until the girl dropped in.

Literally.

She was different than the few humans that had happened upon (and were subsequently spooked away from) my glade in the past century. And it wasn't just that she was bleeding from her arm, albeit the fact that her blood was green. She had fallen from the sky and the fall did not seem to have injured her as much as her cut. I followed her fall with my eyes, seeing where she would land with a jolt of fear: It was the old town square, where the last person had died. The disease was likely to be at its most potent there.

"No!" I cried as her fall neared its end. Then, on impulse (though I assumed there wasn't much she could do about her situation), "Stop!"

Her head turned in my direction as - did I imagine it? - her fall seemed to slow down, but the shock of seeing me seemed to throw her off-balance, and she hit the ground on her injured arm. She was up so fast that it was as if she had never hit, but I could see dirt in her cut. An odd green glow radiated from her hands and eyes. As I said, _definitely_ not normal.

"You are… who?" she asked uncertainly.

"Don't be alarmed; I won't hurt you," I assured her. "Are you feeling well?"

To my surprise, she snapped back, "Do I _look_ well to you?" She suddenly stumbled back, clutching her head.

"Are you feeling dizzy?" I inquired in a worried voice. Dizziness was the first symptom of the disease. If she was dizzy, then she was doomed.

"What is this 'dizzy' of which you speak?" she wanted to know. "I only feel as though the world is spinning too qui…"

She passed from the first phase to the second phase: fainting spells, and this was faster than usual: normally, it would have been _days_ before she was this affected. However, I tried to catch her, but being only of spirit, I failed miserably.

It was then that I heard the footfalls of the others. "Starfire!" voices cried.

Was that the girl's name? I glided in the direction of the voices. I passed through the tree nearest them and saw four beings of about the same age as the girl 'Starfire'. The youngest appeared green and the eldest glowed blue from about half his body. Although not the eldest, the one with spiky black hair appeared to be the leader. My tree ring seemed to have puzzled them.

"What do we do now?" the eldest one asked.

"She could be just through those trees," a girl cloaked in a shade of blue not unlike that of my own robe reasoned.

"Then what are we waiting for?" asked the green boy as he transformed into a rhinoceros. He then turned and started to run towards the nearest sycamore tree of my ring. I leapt in front of him, shouting "_Stop_!"

The reaction was as immediate and as predictable as the rising of the sun: the green one transformed back and skidded to a halt in front of me.

"And you are…?" the girl in blue asked as she absently pulled down her hood to reveal normal hair. She stared at me in a curious fashion- almost as if she knew me.

It was time for an explanation. "My name is Sinai. I was a member of the town beyond those trees, until the town died nearly a millennium ago, due to an extremely deadly disease. However, I stayed to guard would-be intruders from this town until the upcoming millennium, when the disease will destroy itself. Before you go find your friend, you must safeguard yourself against the disease that destroyed this town and still remains today."

"You know where Starfire is? What have you done to her?!" the black-haired boy demanded as he made to grab my arm, but since I am a ghost, he went right through me. "And _what_ are _you?_"

"I told you," I repeated exasperatedly, "I'm the guardian of this town. I also happen to be a ghost. And if 'Starfire' is the red-haired girl in purple whose hands and eyes glow green, then yes, I do know where she is. And I can't have done anything to her, since I can't exactly touch her or any of you. Watch." I glided over to the green boy and thrust my arm through him.

"Gaa!" he yelled as he flailed his arms wildly. He started talking really fast, and I was under the impression that I wasn't the only one who didn't understand him.

"Uh, he said not to do that again, I think," said the eldest one. "Wait- he said-" and the green one joined in, "_Dude! Don't **do** that!_"

"Well, Raven," the glowing blue one continued, "now you know what to do the next time BB annoys- Raven? You okay?"

Whereas the girl "Raven" had looked amused- and mildly interested- a moment ago, her expression had changed when her gaze shifted through the trees. She glanced back to the southwest, looked back, and almost began to cry. A nearby flower blackened, and I hadn't done anything to it. She looked up.

"Guys, there's something I need to tell you…"

**A/N: Cue the deadly disease! Cue the guilty angst! Cue the violins to play death marches for Starfire! Just kidding on that last one. We don't plan on killing her at this point.**

**By the way, we're calling Star's blood green and copper based. Don't like it? Don't care.**

**PLEASE OH PLEASE REVIEW! I like to know that what I post is being read. I accept anonymous reviews and constructive criticism, and I think Will would like to know that you're reading. Please, it's not that hard!**


	5. Chapter 4: Sinai's Point of View

**Chapter 4: Sinai's Point of View**

The most normal of the friends was looking guiltily at the others. They returned her gaze expectantly.

She took a deep breath and began, "Well, back in the tower, when I had that power fluctuation, the reason was my book. It was written by Aza- Azn- Azano Mide-"

"Azano Midelzawi," I corrected. A wave of sadness threatened to engulf me, but I couldn't let it. Not here, not now.

The attention was on me, now. The girl looked perplexed. "And you know this… how?"

"It's a long story. I'll explain when you're done," I offered.

"Anyway, the book mentioned some strange things. Starfire's condition is very similar to the one described in the book." She sighed. "In fact, everything about this character is like Starfire. How she dresses, how she acts, it's all the same."

"Your friend does appear to have contracted the virus that killed off our entire village," I confirmed.

"Care to elaborate?" the blue-glowing one asked.

"Back when I was still alive, about a millennium ago, the king of our town decided that we needed to go offensive in our wars against neighboring towns. He got together his top scientists and ordered them to create a virus without creating a cure. This virus was to be used against the other villages to wipe them out.

"Only one scientist saw danger in this idea. His name was Azano Midelzawi. Azano was nineteen, just out of school, and already farther advanced than any of the others. But, since he was so young, no one listened. So, Azano wisely dropped the subject until he found someone who was on his side, and made secret preparations. One of the scientists had a daughter- a sixteen-year-old."

"You?" the girl they called 'Raven' questioned.

"Yes. My father was all for the king's idea, both inside and outside the castle. He thought it was a brilliant idea and was eager to help out. I was never as enthusiastic as my father, but I played along because he was my father. I'd go with him on my free days to see what he did. It was there that I was introduced to all of the scientists, and, most importantly, Azano. He was quiet and shy, but polite all the same."

I paused to think for a moment. Wording this next part was tricky.

"Maybe it was because of our ages, or maybe it was because he seemed so isolated when the other scientists would confer, but I found myself paying more and more attention to his work. I noticed how he made meticulous notes on the components, and numerous other differences. I didn't mention the reason why to my father, but I became more and more eager to go, which my father interpreted as an interest in his field. As I'm sure you can guess, it was really an interest in Azano…'s work."

"_Romance_," muttered Raven. When everyone looked at her, wondering what she had said, she blatantly lied, "I said, 'makes sense'." I could tell that nobody else trusted this explanation, either.

I continued, "Eventually, I confronted him. I had begun to suspect that he was somehow sabotaging the work. I'll never forget that day…"

_It is late evening. I had been thinking about it all day and now the time has come. I walk up to his hut and knock on the door. He opens it, looking confused._

"_You're… Sinai? I'm sorry, but you'll have to come back later; I'm a little busy. Goodnight," he adds hastily as he closes the door._

_I'm desperate to stay. "**Wait!** I know what you're trying to do."_

"_**What?**" he opens the door as wide as his eyes. "You'd better come inside."_

"We talked for hours and he began to trust my intentions. We decided to work together to develop a cure in secret. We were afraid of what would happen should the disease get loose in our village. We were also afraid of the consequences if someone found out what we were doing. Unfortunately, _both_ were inevitable. One night, the King's Men came to Azano's door…"

_"No! You can't take him! You don't understand!"_

_"No, Sinai. It will be fine."_

Raven, who was practically standing inside me by then, tensed as the words surfaced in my mind. "But he wasn't fine, was he?" Our eyes locked as the boys looked confused at what was perceived as a jump in the conversation. I drifted back.

"No. They took him to the castle. Then, they had a public execution. No trial, mind. Just an execution."

I had been there that day. I had seen him mount the gallows. I had not been able to watch, but had heard the cheers of the bloodthirsty crowd as the floor dropped beneath him. He uttered no cry, no final words, as if he had not been able to speak.

Now, the thought occurred to me: I had seen him dead. How could he have written that book?

A moan from the clearing in front of us broke my memory train. "Starfire!" the black-haired boy cried. He turned to face me. "What can we do?"

I talked faster. "It was difficult with Azano gone, but I did manage to create an inoculation. I never returned to his house, though. Anyone who got close would be executed, as well. The inoculation is the sap of a sycamore tree. You must not approach her without being immune; you could be the next to fall ill."

**A/N: There's something really subtle in one of Sinai's early thoughts. You might almost miss it. It will come into play later on, though. Also notice the slight humor. "_Romance_... I mean... makes sense."**

**And how does Raven know Sinai's thoughts? It should be obvious. If it's not, basically it's that Sinai is an ambient being, meaning here that she flows easily on many levels, so she radiates her thoughts and memories, and Raven is easily susceptible to those… items. This comes into play later on, when Drage (OC #3)is introduced.**


	6. Chapter 5: Robin's Point of View

"Just take some sap out of the trees," Sinai instructed.

Cyborg's hand turned into a drill as he moved towards the nearest tree.

Sinai barked, "No! Not that one!"

"And why not?" Cyborg asked.

"You _don't_ want to see inside it," Sinai answered simply.

A look of mixed apprehension and horror crossed Raven's face. "She's right. You don't want to."

Cyborg shrugged and moved onto the next tree. He drilled a tiny hole and cupped his hands to catch some sap. All of us choked it down as Sinai floated close by, looking rather amused.

"Good. Now we can go." She waved her hand and the seemingly unmovable wall of trees parted enough for us to enter the remains of her town. Centuries of disrepair had rendered the town barely recognizable as such. And there, in the center of it all, was…

"Starfire!" I cried as we rushed forward.

She stirred and her eyes fluttered open. "Friends…" she muttered. Her eyes moved to Sinai and began to glow angrily. She attempted to rise, but Cyborg held her back.

"Easy, Star; she's here to help," I assured her.

"Robin?" she asked just before she fainted.

"Cyborg! Get some more sap!" I ordered.

Sinai shook her head. "Don't bother. It doesn't work once one has the disease. Believe me - I tried it. If it didn't work for my father, it won't work for her." She sounded melancholy. "Ironic, isn't it? The most enthusiastic supporter was among the first to succumb."

"What do we do?" I made to grab her arm, having forgotten that she was a ghost.

"I… don't know," She admitted. "The only person who would've known would be Azano, and he's long gone."

"Then let's ask him," Raven suggested, though it seemed to be more of a command. We all turned toward her in surprise. "I can send us back in time."

Sinai nodded, as if she had forgotten that was an option. "Come over here. We should arrive inside the prison if my memory still serves me."

I joined her. "Beast Boy, Cyborg, you stay here and watch Starfire. Raven, Sinai, and I will go."

"Wait!" Beast Boy yelled. "What if she gets worse?"

"Then you had better start praying for the safety of all," Sinai said mournfully.

"Azerath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven cried and a hole appeared nearby.

"Azerath? Where is that?" Sinai asked.

"Azerath was my home. I was born there," Raven explained grudgingly. "How did you know it was a place?"

"That spell... I've seen it used before, but the words of power must be preceded by the place from which you are drawing your power. In all my years, I'd never heard of Azerath before."

"Good luck!" Cyborg called.

"We'll need it," Sinai muttered as the three of us stepped through to another time.

**A/N: Short chappie. Really short. Neither of us write Robin very well. More angst! **

**(From Will) I hope our explanation of Raven's chant makes sense.**

**(From Jack) PLEASE REVIEW! YOUR OPINIONS MATTER, EVEN THOUGH THE WHOLE STORY IS WRITTEN. GIVE POINTS OF STYLE TO WORK ON. POINT OUT ERRORS. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU PEOPLE THINK! Just putting 'update soon' really doesn't help, people!**


	7. Chapter 6: Raven's Point of View

**Chapter 6: Raven's Point of View**

We stepped into a dungeon, damp and dark except for a torch at the end of the cell-block. Sinai gasped audibly and began to search the cells.

"Empty… empty… _Azano!_" The longing in her voice was leashed, but there all the same.

"Sinai?"

The voice was weak and I recognized it only from the memories I had picked up.

"Sinai, why are you here?"

"We've come to rescue you, Azano. I brought friends."

I heard a dubious sound come from the cell. "Sinai, what 'friends' could you possibly have brought?"

I stepped forward. "Azano, you should get as far back from the door as you can. _Azerath… Metrion… **Zinthos!**_"

The lock clicked and the door swung open, giving Robin his first glimpse (and my first good look) at Azano. He looked like a monk of Azerath. _That_ was a scary thought. His robe was torn and his glasses were bent, but, like Sinai, his purple hair and purple-gray eyes were unmistakable. As far as I could tell, he was slightly taller than Sinai, and so focused on her that he did not seem to notice Robin or me immediately.

"Sinai? What happened to you?" he croaked, looking like he was seeing a ghost, which, in fact, he was.

"It's a long story, Azano," she sighed. "A thousand years will do this to a person."

"A thousand years? No wonder I'm hungry!"

And Sinai had said that he was smart.

"No, not a thousand years for _you_. Like I said, it's a long story."

It was then that Robin chose to interrupt with, "And getting longer. We need to get out of here- if the guard changes…"

"We need something to take his place," Sinai realized. "Do any of you have a seed?"

"I do," volunteered Azano as he pulled one out of his boot.

"Thank you," Sinai said, slightly confused. "Set it down in the cell."

She floated through the floor (making Azano and Robin rather unnerved, I could tell) until she was eye-level with the seed. For a minute, she just watched it. Just when it was beginning to seem as though nothing would happen, it sprouted. As it grew, the vines intertwined to form a human shape and the leaves changed color and texture to take the form of a human body until an exact copy of Azano stood in front of us.

"Wow," Robin muttered. "But how will it pass as alive?"

"I can take care of that," I said. "I'll wait for the guards in the shadows and follow them to the execution. We can meet up afterwards."

"He needs to blend in," Azano said as he pointed at Robin. "No offense, but you'll really stand out."

Sinai began to think aloud. "I've been around the castle a lot. There's a closet up a couple of levels. As long as you keep your hood over your head, you could pass unnoticed."

I pointed at the boys. "You three take care of that while I take care of this. I'll meet you after the execution."

Sinai told me, "I'll find you before then and we'll all meet at Azano's hut. Good luck!"

I nodded. "Same."

**A/N: Enter Azano for the second time. He's a really sweet sort of person, don't you think? He can be a bit... dense at times, though.**

**And as to Raven's "first good look"... She saw him in Sinai's memories earlier, remember?**


	8. Chapter 7: Robin's Point of View

**Chapter 7: Robin's Point of View**

We climbed after Sinai up the stairs she glided over so easily. Azano and I were panting after the first flight. Luckily, the castle was mysteriously empty.

Sinai stopped suddenly. "Here it is."

I opened the door to an empty hallway. We slipped in quietly and Azano brought his hood up. Sinai led us to an unlocked door, which I opened to find several robes exactly like the ones she and Azano were wearing. I grabbed one and Azano replaced his.

"I feel so clean now," he said as he slipped the hood back over his head.

We said good bye to Sinai and headed out of the castle. Azano led the way purposefully towards what I assumed was the execution. There was already a large crowd and we were able to slip in unnoticed. I bumped into a familiar figure. It was Sinai, but there was a difference in her posture and sadness in her voice.

"Sorry."

"My fault."

This was obviously the past Sinai. Her presence meant that we had to be careful and keep Azano away until everything had been explained to him.

"This is odd; I'm going to witness my own hanging."

I shuddered. "I don't envy you the experience."

The crowd gave a loud roar as cart that carried the fake 'victim' rolled into view.

"I didn't know I was so unpopular." Azano almost sounded offended.

"It's the blood-lust. They'd roar if it was their own father."

Azano began to scan the crowd. "I guess so… Is that Sinai? H-" I covered his mouth.

"First off, wrong Sinai. Second, you are supposed to be in that cart and could very well end up there -with me- if we aren't careful. Third, you'll put her in danger by attracting attention to her."

"Okay… but what did you mean by 'wrong Sinai'?" he asked when I removed my hand.

"Did that one look metaphysical to you?"

"I guess you're right."

While we were distracted, the 'execution' drew near its conclusion. Azano's eyes weren't on his replacement, and neither were mine. Both of us watched Sinai. She turned away as the crowd roared again, and put her face in her hands.

"She's crying… for me… why?"

"I don't know her as well as you. You'd be the better judge," I informed him.

He pondered it for a while as the crowd dispersed. The growing absence of people seemed to bring him back to reality.

"We should go."

We walked in silence for a while. "Why are there two of Sinai?"

"One of them is from your time and the other is from a thousand years in your future with that much more experience and sadness."

"Why did _you_ come back?"

"It's a long story."

And, as I had said, it was getting longer.

**A/N: I made character sketches for Sinai and Azano while camping Memorial Day of 2006. I used Azano's "She's crying... for me... why?" quote, Sinai's "I don't know if I can… without you…" quote, and made some chibi Titan sketches. Starfire says, "Glorious! Young love!" (Though the Titans are younger than Azano, and probably younger than Sinai.) Cy and Robin say, "Love? What's that?" Raven says, "Lovers? Ewwwww..." and BB says, " 'Love'? That can change to 'vole'!" and sure enough, he transforms.**

**And huge raves to RoseXxxXThorn, golfprincess, Moving Mountains, and Alice (the only anonymous reviewer to date), all of whom have reviewed. They deserve confections of their favorite kind, love, affection, and a big ticker-tape parade. I say we throw one! The rest of you (if there are any... this doesn't seem too popular)… not so much. REVIEW! It inspires editing and posting! Even if you're just saying, "i read", it's seriously nice to know.**

**By the way, I think I mentioned this at the beginning, but if you don't like hintings of the Robin & Starfire pairing, BB & Raven (although you have to dissect the little part with tweezers under an electron microscope to even get the hint), and Sinai & Azano (though you don't know them all that well, there will be a character later who COULD HAVE -but WILL NOT HAVE by the time the sequel manages to roll around- complicated things introduced later), you're in the wrong place. Ignore it or don't read. If you don't care or like the pairings, that's excellent. IN ANY CASE AT ALL, THANKS FOR READING AND **_**REVIEWING! **_**(Hint, hint…)**


	9. Chapter 8: Sinai's Point of View

When I returned to the cellblock, I found I had arrived just in front of the guards. Finding Raven was difficult, since she blended in very well. I finally managed it when 'Azano' stumbled and his 'hand' pointed towards a rather dark shadow. As I floated carefully toward the shadow, the guards hauled Azano to his feet roughly. I couldn't help it; I flinched at their blatant disregard for his dignity, even though it wasn't him. I felt a surge of energy drag me to the shadows.

"That's not him!" Raven hissed. "_You_ were the one who made that copy. It's not real, and if you're not careful, there _will_ be problems."

"Sorry."

We followed the fake out of the castle to a cart that was waiting. As the cart got closer to Gallows Square, it became increasingly difficult to hide and we decided to float higher up the castle wall, which was luckily in shadow at this time of day, to avoid detection. From there, we were able to watch the 'execution' in its entirety. I found that now that I knew it wasn't real, I was able to watch it.

As the townspeople filtered out, I tried to spot our companions. However, I remembered too late that their hoods were up, rendering them indiscernible from the others. Nobody was foolish enough to stay and pay their respects to the "dead"- not even my former self.

I led Raven to Azano's workshop, now skirted by anyone who wanted to remain "untainted" by association. There, we spotted two familiar figures.

"Finally," I heard Robin mutter. "For being able to float through walls, you sure took your time."

"I don't know the way as the crow flies," I retorted.

Raven shook her head. "It's fine. He's just headstrong when it comes to certain things… _and people._"

I noticed a faint pink rise in his face as he instructed through clenched teeth, "Let's get started."

We went into the house to find it in disarray. "Sinai, you could've at least cleaned up a bit."

"I did," I promised. "They must've searched… oh no, your notes!"

"Tree!" he exclaimed emphatically, as if swearing.

I raised an eyebrow and several window plants shuddered. "Excuse me?"

Azano looked embarrassed, but didn't get a chance to mutter an apology because, at that moment, Robin found the notes.

"Are these them?" he asked unsurely.

He obviously couldn't read. Sad. Azano took them and shuffled through them. I noticed Raven reading over his shoulder. Azano heaved a relieved sigh.

"They're all here."

Robin's utterance was something between a sigh and an impatient noise.

_And yet, without us, he'd be attending that girl's funeral. Ingrate,_ I thought.

"Sinai, you know where the materials are- help them," instructed Azano, who had gone into work mode as though his arrest had never occurred.

Honestly, I was glad to see that the arrest had not changed him for the worse. It probably added urgency to his work, I realized. Azano could always be counted on to help people when it came down to it.

In the time I had known him, I had learned that his parents had stressed the importance of selflessness to the greater good, which they had believed to be the king. Azano believed that the king's actions were not for the greater good, especially the disease. That was one of the reasons I was drawn to him and later joined him in his struggle against a foolish, misguided mistake.

After all these years, I was just beginning to fully understand why Azano had refused to let me be jailed with him. It was kind of funny how much was starting to make sense now.

And people thought _life_ was hard…

**A/N: (Jack says…) The whole 'tree' thing is from having to run to a certain tree and back at school. I'm not a long distance runner, and one of my other friends has asthma. We decided that, from then on, 'tree' was to be our substitute curse. As to why Azano would use it... um... I really don't know. It was just kind of funny to see Sinai go, "Excuse me?"**

**Oh- Robin can't read the ancient writings, but they're using the same spoken language... somehow. (And now, the note is all from Will…) Raven can, though, for reasons which will be explained later. I promise.**

**This whole set-up of king/castle is supposed to be reminiscent of feudal Europe with lords and vassals and such. The king in this is basically a lord, but being the power-crazy person that he is, prefers the title "King". And if anyone has been thinking "Wait, when did the concept of hanging people first come about?" just ignore it. This isn't Europe, it's America, (although the show never makes it quite sure as to where in America) and certain ideas are known for being invented separately in different parts of the world. Like chess.**

**A lot of authors, when asked about how they wrote something, tend to say that the middle was the hardest part, that they knew how they wanted it to begin and end but had trouble tying it all together. That wasn't the case with us. I actually dreamed the whole section from Chapter 4 until the soon-to-be middle of Chapter 11, plus a little about the Raven's book tie-in, and went to Jack for the way to start and end it.**


	10. Chapter 9: Sinai's Point of View

**Chapter 9: Sinai's Point of View**

I slipped away as soon as everything was set in motion. The cure would not be ready for several hours, which gave me just enough time to settle something that had been bothering me for a while. It was time to pay a visit to an old friend who had died in the middle of the epidemic all those years ago. The memory of that day was still fresh and painful, even though he had been at peace with his passing before he had died.

I entered the familiar hut in what had become my usual method: through the _closed_ door.

Drage, studious as ever, was at his desk, a rather sick potted plant next to him. I concentrated on it, and as sure as anything else that was happening, it bloomed.

Glancing at the plant, Drage greeted, "I saw you at the execution, Sinai, and when I got back, my flower had wilted. How can you be so happy all of a sudden?"

I shook my head. "You didn't see _me._"

Drage turned and did a double-take. "Sinai… you're… ah… well…"

"Dead?" I supplied.

He nodded. "Yeah. That and transparent." He thought for a moment, and then cried, "I'm sorry I put that bug in your sandwich in fifth grade! I didn't know you'd take it so seriously!"

"That was you?" I asked, but he continued as if he hadn't heard me for a good five minutes.

Finally, after confessing every mean thing he had done to me (or to plants in general), he wailed, "Please don't haunt me!"

I sighed. "Drage, you've heard way too many ghost stories. I'm not here to haunt or kill you or whatever. I need you to create a body for my spirit to attach itself to. Don't ask why- I'll tell you later."

"So why should I make this vessel for you if you're going to be so secretive?" he asked. I glared at him and completely blackened and shriveled all of his plants, causing him to wave his arms and cry, "I kid! I kid!"

"Drage, I am counting the many long and painful ways that plants can kill you and several options are viable right this minute," I threatened.

Being himself, Drage in all seriousness pointed out, "But then you won't get a body."

I groaned. "I am _so_ going to entomb you in vines." I clapped a hand to my mouth. I had done what I had threatened after Drage had died!

"Is something the matter?" Drage quizzed. "Perhaps you just realized something that didn't make sense until now? Care to explain?"

"Drage, get back to work," I ordered, my voice shaking. He shrugged. "Remember how long I've known you. You have very specific reactions depending on what you're thinking." He turned back to his work. "It doesn't take a genius to figure out that your crying at the execution connects you to him. Funny how the angry mob didn't lynch you on the spot. Mind telling me how you died, by the way?"

I sighed impatiently, kicking myself when I realized that I was imitating that boy. "Please hurry, Drage. _I'm _not running out of time, but someone else _is_."

**A/N: Sinai is a very relaxed person most of the time, but expresses her emotions as she feels she needs to. She's quite easily amused when people freak out, especially when she proves that she's a ghost.**

**Drage is about the same age as Sinai- he'd have to be, to put the bug in Sinai's lunch in fifth grade. They've known each other since their elementary days. (Switching to Will…) They've probably had to deal with a lot of "You **_**like**_** him" crap as well. (I've had these issues, can you tell?) And they've known each other for too long for any of those rumors to be true. We, on the other hand, love Drage. He is just too cool, and very fun to write for.**


	11. Chapter 10: Drage's Point of View

**Chapter 10: Drage's Point of View**

"So, this person who's running out of time- wouldn't know them, would I?" I asked, trying to keep Sinai around, but busy myself. I needed some measurements still.

"No," she answered.

I waited, and then requested, "Care to tell me about them?"

She sighed. "Drage, I honestly don't know much. She's not human, but she and her companions are from another time. Three boys and another girl."

"And what are they like?"

"Human… somewhat." She seemed to grow excited. "There's one who's like _us_. Her looks, her clothing, she even has _powers_-"

"Like _us?_"I interrupted incredulously. "Sinai, you _know_ we're a dying race, and this disease is sure only to worsen it. Her as one of us simply isn't _possible._"

She wouldn't let go of the idea, though. It was Sinai, after all. "But somehow, it _is_, Drage. Somehow, this girl is of our race. I intend to find out how."

"Sinai-" I pushed back from my table, trying not to sound like she was mentally incompetent. "-you were never as… _flighty_ as this before. Why do you believe it?"

A plant's roots shattered a pot in the corner. "I keep telling you, Drage, I don't know, but I want to! I need that body to do so, or an innocent girl might die, and their Earth will be at risk!" she snapped. "I can't even control my energy, I'm so angry…" She carefully hovered, cross-legged, palms up on her knees, and began to chant.

When I was fairly sure that she was calm, I apologized. "I'm sorry, Sinai. I-" I noticed that she wasn't moving. "Sinai?" I went over, fully intending to tap her shoulder, and fully forgetting that she was a ghost. My hand went right through her shoulder.

She made a sort of hissing sound and opened her eyes. "Not fun," she murmured. "It's one thing when I phase _willingly_, but _you_ putting a hand through _me…_"

"Sorry." I seemed to be apologizing a _lot_ today. "To tell the truth, I actually forgot that you're a ghost." I went back to my work.

"Odd," she muttered.

"Tell me about it," I said half to her, half to myself. "What exactly happened when I put my hand through you?"

She had to think. "It was like a… shock, I guess. I absorbed a few thoughts and memories that we have in common, but from your perspective. As I said, odd." She looked at me. "Nothing happened to you?"

I shook my head. "I'll need quiet for the next few minutes while I shape your form."

Once again, Sinai hovered, but instead of meditating, she watched me carefully, as if trying to memorize something. It was almost distracting because there was something in her expression that I could not understand. Almost as if it wasn't _me_ she was concerned with.

I shook the thought away as I finished. "Come on, Sinai, I need to attach you to your new body. Lie down in it and meditate," I instructed. "The rest is for me to do."

**A/N: It's probably actually going to be three years for this whole process. Granted, most of it will have been summers, but we did work during the year.**

**Quick explanation of Drage's function, powers, etc. Drage is kind of the village sorcerer and, like most brilliant people, is only given menial tasks to work on. In this case, Drage is forced to make do with only creating new bodies for people's recently deceased pets. Poor, poor, underused genius.**

**You're not going to see Drage again, by the way, unless it's in flashbacks.**

**Jack: (Sobs uncontrollably) But I love Drage! I want a Drage plushie!**


	12. Chapter 11: Raven's Point of View

**Chapter 11: Raven's Point of View**

While I knew where Sinai had gone, she needed to get back. Giving the cure was no problem, as it was complete and we had Azano, but she needed to return with us to avoid any strange time travel paradoxes.

Finally, she returned, but with a body. I didn't ask- as I said, I already knew- and there wasn't time, anyway.

However, the other two _didn't_ know, and when she entered, opening the door this time, they were instantly on edge. Azano, who was supposed to be dead, and Robin, who was not even supposed to be in existence yet, froze. Robin's hand went to grab a bird-a-rang, but Azano grabbed his other arm.

I glided in front of Sinai and reprimanded them. "Note the lack of surprise on her face. This would be the Sinai from the future."

Azano walked forward tentatively, a quizzical look upon his face. "Sinai?" He extended his hand in a fairly cliché way.

Sinai met his hand half-way with hers in the oh-so-_very _cliché way. "It's odd, being able to actually feel again."

I could tell that Robin was getting anxious, and I had had enough of the cheesy romance. I wanted to prevent another one of Robin's tantrums, so I deadpanned, "We need to go, or Starfire will die."

The trip back went smoothly enough. However, _being_ there was a different issue.

"Dude, promise you won't kill us," Beast Boy warned.

Before Robin's temper could audibly flare, I asked, "Where is she?"

Sinai picked up a nearby scrap of metal.

"We were overpowered. Slade's minions," Cyborg explained. "I can find her, though. Her communicator was on when the signal started staying put."

Robin gritted his teeth. "We need a plan."

Before we could go any further, Azano held up another metal scrap. "What's this?"

I turned to face Sinai. "Your friend…the one who makes bodies. His name is…"

"Drage," she supplied.

My gaze locked on Azano. "It's a robot. It's like the bodies Drage makes, but mechanical and controlled from the outside."

Robin chose that moment to ask, "Azano, do you have any power?"

"Weather, mostly air, actually," he informed us. "Why?"

"Well, you have to stay safe somehow," Robin replied. "Knowing Slade, it will take all of us to even get the cure to Starfire, let alone stop him."

"Who-" Sinai and Azano began.

"Slade is a… really bad guy," Cyborg told the two. "We think he wants to use the disease to threaten us, the world, you name it. He doesn't know about the sap… yet."

Robin cut in, "And hopefully he never gets the chance."

Sinai raised an eyebrow. "You intend to kill this Slade, then?"

Everyone looked to Robin, taken aback.

"We'll bring him to justice, whatever that may be, end of discussion," informed Robin. "Besides, knowing Slade, he won't die, anyway."

"No kidding," Beast Boy muttered. "Any brilliant plans?"

"You don't suppose he'll let us waltz in?" I wondered aloud. _Too bad neither of them can see the future._

Cyborg offered, "We propose a trade- doctor for patient, then flip on him?"

"He'll expect that," Robin countered.

"He seems to expect anything we do, Robin," I reminded him sharply. "Anyway, he wants to beat us himself, right? He wants to be there for our downfall. Maybe he will let us in, taunt us with not being able to save Starfire, the usual villain stuff. I think that the best thing we have now is the element of surprise in these two."

"Don't we get a say?" Sinai was being particularly obstinate, as Azano had mentioned once or twice in his book.

It was Robin who answered, and my answer would have been no different: "Yes: let Starfire die, or save Earth."

Cracking a smile, Sinai crossed her arms. "So, where does the fun begin?"

**A/N: (Jack says…) I've decided that I love writing as Starfire. She's so… CUTE! Drage is my personal favorite of the made-ups, too, though he appears only once, and he died during the disease (like everyone else except Sinai because she inoculated herself so she could work with the disease to make a cure after Azano died, but since she is not as brilliant in that field as he is, she only succeeded in developing the inoculation from tree sap), so it's kind of sad. He's still my fave.**


	13. Chapter 12: Azano's Point of View

**Chapter 12: Azano's Point of View**

A rather long two hours later, we finally made it to the main lair of whoever this "Slade" was. The man stood between us and Starfire, who was having difficulty breathing and staying awake, but faring better than most for the quick onset.

"Welcome, Titans. I see you brought company, as expected." He held up a book. "Of course, Mr. Midelzawi wouldn't recognize it, but these are his words on what is happening. I have yet to finish reading, but it seems he won't be around to rewrite the ending.

"You see, once you are incapacitated, I intend to infect all of you. With no antidote, the world will see fit to join me or die. Even so, I am sure that many will… ah… accidentally come into contact with this disease. In time, this will be my world and mine alone.

"I give all of you one last chance, then. Join me or-"

"_Shut up!"_ Beast Boy cried. We all looked at him. "Dude! We've already heard _two_ monologues today, and I don't know about anyone else, but I'm tired of it!

"I mean, monologues are so _cheap_! You get this person who just talks endlessly about some random, evil topic! At least talk about something interesting, because you're losing my interest, and I'll either attack or start waiting for an anvil or a pink elephant to drop on you!" He did not seem to notice that the attack robots were advancing.

"And why a _pink_ elephant? Why not green or blue or-"

"Beast Boy…" Raven had surrounded him with her power, and her eyes glowed dangerously. "Shut up and- _duck!_"

"Duck? 'Kay!" Beast Boy shrugged and changed into a duck.

Starfire looked up for a moment and asked, "Pink elephants?" before falling into unconsciousness.

Slade attempted to move her, causing Robin to yell rather angrily, "Hey! Get your hands off her!"

_Tsk_-ing, Slade shook his head. "Such a temperamental little boy. I suppose I'll have to take care of you first, after all." Before he could do a thing, Sinai's vines began creeping up his body. He sighed. "Then the medicine makers go first, but Robin, _you're next._"

If Sinai was buying some time for the cure, I was going to use it. I made my way toward Starfire, but some robots blocked my path. I figured I would just have to fight.

What I did not figure on was Robin helping Sinai so that she could cover me. From what I saw between Robin and Slade, though, it was a well-needed fight.

I knelt next to Starfire and began searching for the proper injection site until I noticed something.

"Sinai! Her heart's barely beating!" I was panicking. While I had created the cure, I was a chemist, not a doctor!

Drawing a seed out of her pocket, Sinai concentrated until it bloomed into a foxglove plant. Ripping off the tiniest of leaves, she handed it to me, and then collapsed.

"Sinai!" I cried.

She held up a hand to stop me. "I'll be fine. I got carried away, but I haven't hit the limit for this body. Living things can always recuperate, but you can't bring the dead back to life this time, Azano! She's more important now."

After I made Starfire eat the plant (which took some convincing, as she was still awake), I wasted no time on anything else but injecting the cure. As it took its affect, I realized that not only were we surrounded, but I was the only one who could defend us, and my power, like Sinai's, had already had a toll taken on it. At this rate, it would not be long before all three of us were in jeopardy.

However, I've found that life really does like to keep me guessing until the last possible minute. With the quick onset of the disease came the even quicker wane, and Starfire was up and fighting moments after being injected. She looked mildly as though she might become ill, but I was not going to complain if she was going to fight.

Upon finding the empty syringe on the floor, Slade roared and threw what looked like a blood sample to the ground. It shattered, spewing a gas into the room, and he laughed. "I took precautions. Though you may have saved one, the rest will die."

"No we won't," Robin retorted. "You think we _didn't_ take precautions? Every single one of us is immune."

Slade turned and ran, subconsciously dropping the book.

"Sinai!" I dropped beside her once again. "Sinai, come on, talk to me. Are you okay? Sinai!"

"Azano…" she whispered, lips curling into a smile. "You're giving me a headache."

I sighed. "You don't think you're a bit old to be this childish?"

"You and Drage…" she shook her head. "I'll miss him."

"You're not going back to the village?" I knew this shouldn't surprise me, but it did. "I know _I_ won't, but-"

"We need to go," Robin ordered. "No telling what Slade's rigged this place for."

I sighed and helped Sinai to her feet, looping her arm around my shoulder so that she had support.

The discussion was a moot point, anyway. Stopping Sinai? I had learned better than to try.

**A/N: Beast Boy's tirade/monologue was conceived after two long, crazy, roasting-biscuits-on-sticks (please don't ask) days of tent camping. Slade's... not so much.**

**And if you haven't seen by now, Sinai has, as Will put it, "plant powers". Azano's powers are with air and weather, and Drage's **_**were**_** with attaching spirits to things. Sinai and Drage are the same age- only sixteen or seventeen, and Azano is just on the shy side of legal, at nineteen.**

**Slade got the book when he went into the tower to raid and/or ransack the place. That was why he sent his minions- to distract the Titans. The book, still in the main room, caught Slade's attention, and you know the rest... (Will's one sentence of all this…) That's also how he knew to go capture Starfire, in case you haven't figured that out yet.**

**Foxglove, a.k.a. member of the Digitalis family, speeds your heartbeat up, and even a tiny dose can be fatal for someone with a normal heartbeat. However, for those who have slow-converging-on-death heartbeats, as was the case with Star, everything's good.**


	14. Chapter 13: Cyborg's Point of View

**Chapter 13: Cyborg's Point of View**

"So, what are you going to do? You could stay in our time," I offered.

Sinai shook her head. Raven had lent her the book she had been reading while she had recuperated, and now Sinai had one of those smiles that said she knew something the rest of us didn't. She had spent several weeks with us, as had Azano, and we were all going to be sorry to see them leave.

"I think it is best that we return to the time where we belong," she replied tactfully. "Well, where my body belongs, anyway."

Azano nodded. "I don't think either of us could ever really adapt to life here, but thank you for the offer."

For once, Sinai gave no indication otherwise. I suspected that she really didn't pick up much by scaring people away from the remnants of her village, though.

And that smile was there, confirming what I thought again.

"You seem to have a plan," Robin pointed out.

Azano looked over at her, surprised. "Care to inform me?"

She shook her head. "Not really, no."

He frowned. "You know I don't like surprises."

"You seem to do well enough with them." Sinai flipped her hair back over her shoulders. "After all, your reaction to my being a ghost wasn't half as bad as Drage's. I actually got him to say every bad thing he did to me the whole time I've known him."

Seeming to take offense, Azano retorted, "When you're half-starved and you haven't seen one of your friends in a while, you tend to think you're hallucinating when she shows up as a ghost from one thousand years in the future with two people from that one thousand years later, demanding a cure. Wasn't that disease supposed to self-destruct soon, anyway?"

"Yes, and that's part of the reason that I can go back with you. I'm sure these fine people will guard the grove." Sinai gave us a look-over. "Am I correct? After all, the end of the disease is near. I'm sure that if one ghost can handle almost the whole time, five people can take the rest."

Everyone nodded.

It was Starfire who stepped up first. "Thank you again, friends, for saving me." She gave them both hugs that served to crack their backs.

Beast Boy came forward next. "You guys are totally awesome."

I was next. "Great fighting along with you guys. You're sure you don't want to stay?"

Robin shook each one's hand. "I won't forget you guys helping us, and Slade won't either. We owe you."

Raven, who had to cast the spell, approached last. "You read the book, so I'm sure this is part of it?"

Azano looked just a bit put off by _that_ remark, and even more so when, as she stepped through, her grin broadened and she admitted, "Maybe."

We stood where we were for a minute or two. Raven was the first to wander off, mentioning that she needed to read.

**A/N: I (Jack speaking) don't know about anyone else, but I think that I should've played up the Azano/Sinai pairing just a little bit more. Of course, the only reason for that would be that I'm an absolute sucker for romance. **


	15. Epilogue: Beastboy's Point of View

**Epilogue: Beast Boy's Point of View**

We were back where it all started. Cyborg and I were playing RaceMax 2000, and I was winning. Robin was teaching Starfire about some expression he had used that morning that she still (after almost three hours of explaining) didn't get. And Raven, as usual, was reading one of those old books.

I swear, Cyborg cheated, because he wound up winning. One second, I was ahead, and then the next, he pushed me off the track and was ahead by a lot! That does not just happen on sheer skill or luck!

Of course, my score is still the highest.

Anyway, I noticed that Raven had a smile on her face, and that sorta threw me off. I mean, Raven was _smiling._ Broadly. That doesn't happen a lot. She usually smiles only when she's got something in mind to do to me, or when things just get really creepy in general.

I looked around, just to make sure that someone else had noticed it, because I really didn't want to ask. That smile could just as easily go the other way. That wouldn't mean good things for me.

After seeing that nobody else _had_ noticed, I reluctantly asked, "Um, Raven, why are you smiling?"

She looked up. "The book, Beast Boy. Why do you _think?_"

I didn't mention it, but the last time a book had made her smile, it had turned out to be an evil dragon intent on destroying her. I was just a bit concerned. "So… what's going on in the book that makes you so happy?"

"Everything is going just as planned," she answered.

She began to read again, and I had to think. I know she had talked about it with Sinai, but it didn't clear things up at all, and now everyone was paying attention, so I had to ask her again.

"I'm sure I'm not the only one who didn't understand that." I sighed. "Come on; tell me what's going on!"

She showed me the cover of the book. "Does this look at all familiar to you?"

"Um, no?" I squeaked, squealing at the glare she gave me.

"Beast Boy, she was reading that same book the day all of this strangeness started," Starfire informed me. She turned to Raven and admitted, "I, too, am intrigued. Why is it that you have a joyful look upon your face? How is everything 'going as planned'?"

Raven let her breath out kinda loudly, which usually means she's getting angry. "Azano and Sinai. When I sent them back to their time, I didn't put them back in their town. They ended up just outside it. They went on to found Azerath, and the rest-" she shut the book "-is history."

"But what exactly happened to them? What is it that makes you so happy?" Star wanted to know.

Raven cast us one last look as she walked out of the room. "Let's just say that I might be a fan of happy endings."

**THE END!**

**A/N: The end! Wow!**

**I don't know what RaceMax 2000 is or if it even exists. If it already does, I don't own it, but if it doesn't exist, I guess I do own it. Oh well. Not like I care. Ha, new copyright(coming from the rarely seen, oft forgotten, MAJOR CREATOR!!! other authoress).**

**(And yet another note from Will…) And if you're wondering about what happened to Azano and Sinai between Raven sending them back in time and the founding of Azerath (as Jack and I do!), then stay tuned for the sequel, which should turn up in a year or two, judging by our current writing pace! Hooray for completely leaving the realm of fan knowledge! (And briefly from Jack…) This will be posted on fictionpress(dot)com, under the same username. Eventually. I'll put something up about it on my profile.**


End file.
